Is Keenan Allen the Pats next first round pick?

The NFL really loves to hype their “draft day,” which generally falls to the final Thursday in April. They make a big deal about having former NFL players announcing draft picks, commissioning new hats for picks to wear and encouraging fans to line the streets outside the auspicious Radio City Music Hall and call out support for their team, amongst other things.

But Thursday will only see 32 picks called. Sure the calls come in prime time, but the other 200 or so choices come down between Friday and Saturday, and the Tom Bradys of the world know that’s when some of the future most valuable players really end up falling.

The Patriots have just five total picks in this year’s draft (as of Wednesday morning) and below is one idea of what they could (and maybe should) do with them. But it’s highly likely that Bill Belichick will do what he does best and trade around to get a few of those 4^th, 5^th and 6^th round choices the team is currently lacking. The man likes to get his money’s worth. For the sake of argument though, we’re going to pretend no maneuvering occurs and keep the Patriots where they currently sit on the board.

1^st round

Pick #29

WR Keenan Allen (Cal)

Yes, the Patriots have more than a few needs on defense, and those should have been addressed much more than they have been in recent years. But there is enough young talent on that side of the ball for the moment (Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower were both first round selections by the Patriots in last year’s draft) and Allen can fill the most gaping hole in the Pats roster. Having parted ways with Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd, there’s a need for an impact wide out for Brady to develop with over the next couple seasons and Allen is this team’s type of guy. He runs crisp routes, plays fast in game and by all accounts has a good work ethic. Plus, he’s 6’2” and the Pats could use a receiver who has a little height to him (no offense, Danny).

2^nd round

Pick #59

DE Alex Okafor (Texas)

Is defensive end a bigger need for the Patriots than cornerback? Hard to say at this stage, but New England seems to churn through ends at an alarming rate. The 6’5”, 264lb Okafor had a consistently productive career at Texas and could contribute quickly as a run stuffer. He also has experience at defensive tackle from his earlier collegiate days, so he has the potential to be the versatile kind of weapon the Pats love to get their hands on.

3^rd round

Pick #91

CB David Amerson (North Carolina State)

Remember how badly Alfonzo Dennard got burned in the Championship game? The turf at Gillette may still be scorched. The Pats need a downfield coverage specialist and Amerson fits the bill. Granted he hasn’t shown as much consistency as one might hope for in a potential future starter, but there are few players at this position in the draft who have as much big play ability. The guy had 13 interceptions in 2011, tied for second most in NCAA history. That’s worth pulling the trigger at 91.

7^th round

Pick #226

OT Jason Weaver (Southern Miss)

The seventh round is where teams have the chance to get a lot for a little. If the Pats take Weaver, they could get a solid back-up tackle for the next five seasons. He’s a big, solid guy (6’4”, 313lb) and showed his fortitude by rising from the junior college level all the way to honorable mention on the All-Conference USA Team. Kid has some gumption.

7^th round

Pick #235

RB Cierre Woods (Notre Dame)

Woods isn’t exactly a power back, but he’s sturdy; he can eek out that extra yard or two. The Patriots haven’t put a lot of value on running back since the Laurence Maroney debacle but at this stage of the draft, a guy like Woods you can gamble on. Good vision, decent acceleration and overall good movement out weigh the questions surrounding his personal conduct (he was suspended for violating team rules).

The first time I visited Boston, I fell in love with football. It was an infatuation that would change the course of my whole life, a lust from which my career was eventually born.

I love Boston. I love its people, its traditions, and its history. I have rooted for its sports teams more than half my life. Going there always feels like going home.

When the terror unfolded on Monday, it was heart wrenching to watch from a distance. You think, “I’ve stood in that spot. I’ve been where those people are” and your stomach just drops.

A child is dead. So is a graduate student from China. And a restaurant manager. People most of us never knew, but who we identify with. Tragedy has a way of doing that.

It brings us together.

The Patriots have announced they’re soliciting donations for victim recovery and will match every dollar given up to $100,000 (you can donate here). The press and the public have celebrated former Patriots guard Joe Andruzzi, who carried an injured woman to a medical tent. Brand new wide receiver Danny Amendola, who hasn’t even played a game for the Pats yet, has pledged to donate $100 per catch, and $200 per dropped pass, next season to relief funds.

Sports are uniting. Look no further than the cover of yesterday’s Chicago Tribune, which was widely applauded. Look at the sign now hanging on Yankee Stadium in solidarity with the Red Sox and the “Sweet Caroline” tribute from last night.

The Patriots aren’t in season now. But the effects of this will still resonate when they do. They will resonate for a long time to come. But it’s good to be reminded of the good in the world, and the good born from sports.

After all, in the bigger picture, we’re all in this together.

Sorry to disappoint, but don’t expect to see T.O. in blue and white anytime soon.

The media machine is a funny thing.

After working out earlier in the week with Danny Amendola at USC’s practice field, Tom Brady made headlines yet again yesterday when Terrell Owens, a man who clearly needs no introduction, Tweeted that he was going to be joining Brady and former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel for an afternoon throwing session.

Given T.O.’s penchant for courting attention (he does have 1 million+ Twitter followers), it’s not surprising Tee Martin didn’t have to break this news story to the press. Nor is it particularly surprising that NFL writers across the country have jumped all over it like a dirty shirt.

(How does that expression even make sense?)

Talk radio exploded with discussions of how and why Brady and Owens came to be connected. Blogs buzzed with the possibility of T.O. getting one last shot at greatness with the Patriots. James Walker over at ESPN wrote a “memo” about how the Patriots should “just say no to T.O.”

Media machine hard at work, it seems.

Here’s the deal: T.O. isn’t going to be a Patriot. That was true yesterday and today and six months ago and five years ago. He’s not a fit in the system. The way he plays his game isn’t the way the Patriots play theirs. Would he want an opportunity in New England? I’m not sure there is any unsigned NFL receiver who would say no to Bill Belichick. But that has nothing to do with what went down at USC 16 hours ago.

Brady chooses to be in California for the offseason because that’s where his oldest son is based and where his family is. Everyone on an NFL squad scatters come February and everyone does their best to get in the reps they need in their geographic region.

If Owens, like the rest of us, heard Brady and Amendola were working out at USC on Tuesday, he likely got in touch with Brady to see if he wanted another target to throw around with. Obviously Brady isn’t going to be playing throw and catch with receivers signed to other teams too frequently. That would be weird. But T.O. is a free agent who still has at least some skill. He runs the routes, Brady throws the ball; everyone gets their work in.

It really is that simple. As Robert Kraft has said time and time again, Brady has no say on personnel decisions anyway. Even if he wanted Owens on the team (which he really shouldn’t, given the epic disaster that was the Chad Johnson experiment), it wouldn’t make a difference. It won’t happen.

So, unclench. T.O. isn’t coming to New England. Who knows, maybe Brady just wanted a little exposure on whatever reality show Owens is filming this year. Whatever the reason, it has more to do with convenience than anything else.

Watch out, Tom Brady! While you’re off making weird commercials with the Easter Bunny, Devin McCourty is trying to steal your GQ swag.

Because he doesn’t have much else to do in the offseason, McCourty went on over to some very swanky looking GQ set and shared his “10 Essentials.” You can catch the video here if you’re curious about what those might be.

FYI though, the first two are things McCourty shills for. So, you know, beware of the obvious and shameless self promotion.

Tee Martin provided the photographic evidence on his Twitter

It’s really real, people. Wes Welker is gone. Danny Amendola is in. And he’s trying to develop the rapport with Tom Brady to prove it.

Thanks to the social media skills of University of Southern California wide receivers coach Tee Martin (who, ironically, was one of the quarterbacks drafted before Brady in the 2000 NFL draft), we all now know that Amendola jetted off the So Cal to catch passes from TB12 and start to see first hand how the signal caller operates.

How important are these offseason workouts? Unfortunately their value can’t be determined now. Until the players are suiting up in training camp and preseason games, no one can no for sure if they’re really making a difference.

Could they possibly hurt the Pats? Not at all. But don’t expect the same Brady-to-Welker greatness just because Amendola is committing to spending time running routes in April. Chemistry is a tricky thing. You can’t fake it, and you definitely can’t force it.

If anything, working out together now tells Brady what kind of relationship he’ll be able to form with Amendola. At the very least figuring out the type of player he is and what he needs from his quarterback to be successful will shape how Brady approaches the rest of the offseason program.

In addition to Amendola being at USC with Brady, earlier reports suggested tight end Aaron Hernandez rented a place in Santa Monica so he could be a part of Brady’s regime too.

Sounds like Cali really is the place to be this spring.

Every once and awhile, in the midst of draft research and other annoying offseason tasks, one comes across a humourous and decidedly really odd video of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

It’s not alway a video, of course. In the past it’s been a photo shoot of him with his dog or, going a little further back, with a baby goat (you can Google that if you want to see it).

But alas, this video popped up in my YouTube feed this morning and I must say, it’s interesting. Funny, even. But definitely weird.

If you were too nervous to click, it’s Brady teaching an Easter Bunny how to do a touchdown celebration. Insert obvious joke about whether Wes Welker is in the bunny suit and that’s why he didn’t want to play in New England with Brady anymore.

Because that won’t get old quick at all.

The Patriots have been doing plenty of moving and shaking since free agency opened earlier this month. They’ve parted ways with some big names and opened their checkbooks to sign a few new faces.

Some thoughts on the comings and goings so far:

Wes Welker

Days later, it’s still hard to understand how this one went down the way it did. According to Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the team actually offered Welker a better up-front contract to stay in New England, while the Denver Broncos gave him a deal that, per Kraft, essentially sets him up to be one-and-done with that organization. It makes sense, really, because Peyton Manning is in the twilight of his career and, in his early 30s, so is Welker. Why not bring them together for one season and, if things don’t plan accordingly, design Welker’s contract so he’s easy to dump?

Welker’s agents had a different story of course, saying their client gave Kraft the chance to match Denver’s contract dollar for dollar and he didn’t. So, depending on who you believe, either Welker made an excruciating business decision or he gave the middle finger to New England on purpose because he’s bitter about the two year long contract talks that came down the wire the way they did. Whatever. The real winner in this scenario can’t be determined in the press. Rehash this one next February.

Danny Amendola

Josh McDaniels brought Brandon Lloyd to New England last season (and he is among the dearly departed in 2013) so it’s no surprise McDaniels has welcomed another former St. Louis Ram into the Patriots fold. Amendola was signed to almost an identical contract to the one the team offered Welker and he’s expected to be the slot receiver’s replacement. Will he pan out as historically well as Welker? Unlikely. But does he have to in order for this to be a good signing by New England? Not at all. Amendola is a reliable guy. He’s quick, he’s got good hands and he’s by all accounts a good teammate. The red flag is whether or not he can stay healthy. The Pats have had enough issues with injuries the last few years on offense (hello, Hernano and Gronk) and it’s impacted their play down the stretch. With a solid offseason conditioning program though, Amendola should be able to stay relatively intact and contribute to the Pats’ group of receivers.

Will Svitek

As we all wait with baited breath to find out if right tackle Sebastian Vollmer is going to re-sign with the Patriots (he’s a free agent still), the team brought in Svitek, who has played his career thus far in Atlanta. He was protecting Matt Ryan’s blind side for awhile and proved himself to an athletic, quick, sure-footed tackle. The Patriots desperately need those, with Matt Light’s retirement still being felt and with the departure of Donald Thomas earlier this month. If Vollmer were to re-sign, Svitek would do well as a great back-up to him and Nate Solder, but in the event the Pats are struggling for a starter on opening day (or night), Svitek would be a reliable guy to get the call.

Aqib Talib/Marquis Cole

Two cornerbacks who were with the Patriots last year, Talib and Cole are both coming back. Why group them together? Because Cole’s most memorable – and disasterous – performance as a Patriot came in Talib’s stead. During the AFC Championship game in January, Talib was doing a great job covering explosive wide receiver Anquan Boldin…until he injured his hamstring and Cole stepped in. And it wasn’t pretty. Not to say that was Cole’s fault – the Ravens saw an opening to exploit and did so with gusto – but Cole was still reliable at other points in the season and a strong contributor on special teams. Plus, he’s the kind of player the Pats like – comes in, works hard, blue collar type. Not much flash, but lots of potential.

Adrian Wilson

Considering the Patriots current top safety is a guy who isn’t even really supposed to be a safety (don’t worry Devin, you’re better there than you were at corner), signing a veteran like Wilson was a savvy move by the Patriots. He’s been in Arizona for a decade and proved to be a consistent, reliable presence in the backfield. He’s lost a step over the years but it’s the veteran wisdom that’s going to really help McCourty and the other young safeties develop. Patrick Chung moving on to Philadelphia is just the most recent example of how much defensive backs have crashed and burned in the New England over the last few seasons. They needed someone with the experience to mentor and who can still contribute. Wilson does both.

Welker and the Pats are talking, but will the team offer enough to keep him in red, white and blue?

If we’ve learned anything about the Patriots over the years, it’s that they like to keep things a little close to the vest.

Or a lot close. Mostly a lot.

So as news reports have surfaced this week that wide receiver Wes Welker, who is set to hit the open market when free agency opens later this month, was close to a deal with the Pats, it felt like more than a touch of PR spin.

It’s no secret the kind of contract Welker is looking for (hint: one including lots and lots of zeros) and it’s even less of a secret that the Pats aren’t known to dive too far into the team’s pockets to pay players more than they’re worth.

Welker isn’t worth Megatron money, but he has every right to chase after it.

But back to the Pats and those reports of closing in on a deal. Maybe it’s just been one too many years of watching really great guys walk away in free agency (we miss you, Adam!) but it seems unlikely the sides are “that close” to coming to terms. It feels more like the Patriots want the public to know they’ve made an offer they consider substantial to try and keep Welker, thus minimizing backlash if he does test free agency and sign elsewhere.

Naturally, being locked down by New England below market value before at least exploring his options isn’t going to be Welker’s approach to this new deal. It’s the last large contract he’s going to sign in the NFL and it’s within his rights to want the biggest payday possible.

So, what should we expect from Wesley when he hits the open market March 9? He’ll take some meetings, he’ll listen to some proposals and he’ll get a handle on what he’s worth outside Foxboro.

However, as ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss pointed out, it would be surprising to not see Welker with the Flying Elvis on his helmet for a few more years in New England. Why? Lots of reasons, but mostly because there’s a comfort level for him with this team. He is the go-to guy playing with the best quarterback in the business and he’s going to get his catches. As much as Welker seems to have dollar signs in his eyes, he’s also a slot receiver in his 30s. He doesn’t have unlimited years to earn a Super Bowl ring, something he has come close to in New England and somewhere he knows he’ll have a chance to compete every season.

One can only hope Welker realizes the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

The man does look good in blue and white

Did you need more of a reason to love Tom Brady? Did you?

Well, I have one for you, courtesy of Peter King at Sports Illustrated.

This afternoon, King took to Twitter to announce Brady had signed a three year contract extension with the Patriots.

But didn’t he just sign an extension with the Pats? Why yes he did. But the purpose of this contract was to minimize the effect of his deal on the rest of New England’s salary cap.

According to King’s source, this is what Brady’s salary will look like for the next five seasons:

2013: $13.8 million.
2014: $14.8 million.
2015: $13 million.
2016: $14 million.
2017: $15 million.

(To read King’s full piece, click here)

If you know anything about the NFL, you know this is significantly below market value for a quarterback of Brady’s stature. Contracts signed by the Peyton Manning’s and Drew Brees’ of the league are somewhere in the vicinity of $20 million/year. Brady has given the Pats a great hometown discount so they can apply more money to the pieces around him.

Also important: the deal locks Brady up until he hits 40 in 2017. The quarterback has long professed a desire to stay in the game until then and this makes it a reality for him. It also almost guarantees he will retire a Patriot, something he’s made no secret of wanting to do.

In the era of inflated deals and mindless money grabbing, it’s refreshing to see a player who is willing to put his team first and accept less cash in the hopes of helping the team improve in other places. One can only hope the Pats will use the extra funds wisely and fill in some of the holes on offense and defense.

One other thing about Brady’s contract? It shines a light on Wes Welker. Word on the street about Welker has long been that he wants a player – and not team – friendly deal. He wants big bucks. That makes it unlikely he’ll remain in New England. Robert Kraft isn’t going to give a receiver in his 30s more than he’s worth, especially not when his star player is willing to accept so much less than he would get elsewhere, but other more desperate clubs very well could.

It’s not even March and already the Patriots are making a splash.

Xavier Rhodes could contribute immediately to the Patriots

We’re 48 hours away from the annual meat market known as the NFL Combine.

Coaches and front office personnel are gearing up to descend upon Indianapolis and observe the latest crop of college players hoping to jump into the pros.

(Literally. Players are judged on how far they can jump. Because a decent long-jump score is a necessary attribute in every NFL prospect).

Anyway, the Combine is when the scouting process really ramps up for most teams ahead of the draft at the end of April. The areas of need for the Patriots are pretty easy to identify (defense, defense, defense, receiver) so who should Belichick and company be watching this week? Some options:

Xavier Rhodes, Defensive Back, Florida State

Since the Patriots hold the 29^th pick in this year’s draft, they will want to focus on players like Rhodes who have late first or early second round talent. Rhodes, a junior, has experience at corner and safety and checks in at 6’2” and 215-lbs. That means he’s a big corner. Big is good. It’s imposing, it gets in your face and it gives a good deal of range to a player’s game. All things the Patriots need in their backfield. The plus on Rhodes though is that he’s a great athlete with good ball skills and awareness. There’s room for growth, as with all prospects, but he’s physical and is willing to press hard at the line and challenge receivers. New England needs an attitude adjustment on defense and Rhodes could be a part of that.

Robert Lester, Defensive Back, Alabama

Belichick loves Nick Saban. Lester spent the last four years in Birmingham learning from him. This is a player the Patriots could get in the third or fourth round but who makes plays. He’s not as physical as Mark Barron was before him, but he’s got great ball skills. His strength is playing the pass and the Patriots have been woeful against the pass for years. Lester has a reputation for working hard and work ethic is as critical as anything in the Pats system. He’s not a superstar by any means, but there’s a lot of upside for him under Belichick’s tutelage.

Chris Harper, Wide Receiver, Kansas State

The receiver position for the Patriots seems very fluid right now. Is Wes Welker coming back? What about Deion Branch? Donte Stallworth? Who will they target in free agency? There are plenty of question marks. Harper isn’t one. He’s a big (6’1”, 228lbs) physical runner who has explosive playmaking abilities. He led the Wildcats in catches his previous two seasons and he brings that rougher, in-your-face attitude the Patriots desperately need in their finesse offense.

Denard Robinson, Wide Receiver, Michigan

Hear me out on this one. The Patriots are all about players who bring versatility to their schemes. Julian Edelman was a quarterback they turned into a wide receiver they turned into a punt returner. With a guy as athletic as Robinson, the possibilities are endless for what they could do offensively. While he won’t be challenging Tom Brady’s back up for playing time at quarterback, he brings the threat of the throw with him. Plus, he’s elusive from the backfield. Line him up in a two-back set and see what happens. Try his hand at returning kicks. If he shows he’s got good hands at the Combine, line him up as your third or fourth receiver.

It’s hard to say where Robinson will fall because he’s essentially entering the Combine at a completely different position than the one he played in college, but the Patriots should do their homework. He could have a lot to offer their bland offensive sets.